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Venezuelan police station riot and fire kills at least 68

March 29, 2018 08:01·
Heartbreaking Two relatives break down outside the prison as it is confirmed that at least 68 people have died in the fire

Heartbreaking Two relatives break down outside the prison as it is confirmed that at least 68 people have died in the fire

At least 68 people were killed in rioting and a fire at a police detention center in the city of Valencia late on Wednesday, Venezuela's top prosecutor said.

There was no official confirmation of the incident from the country's penitentiary service, but a source told AFP the state-run detention center in the northern city of Valencia did not fall under its responsibility.

Carlos Nieto, head of Una Ventana a la Libertad (A Window on Freedom), said that "some burned to death and others asphyxiated" after setting fire to mattresses and stealing a guard's gun in an attempt to break out.

Tarek Saab, the chief state prosecutor, said an investigation into the incident will begin immediately.

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Rafael Lacava, the governor of Carabobo state, expressed his "consternation" over the events but did not provide a toll.

Outside the station, officers in riot gear reportedly used tear gas to disperse a crowd of angry relatives gathered to see if their loved ones had survived. "I ask the police not to treat them like dogs, not to throw gasoline at them, not to shoot at them from the outside", Lissette Mendoza, mother of 19-year-old inmate Yorman Salazar, told reporters. Venezuelan prisons are reportedly extremely overcrowded and filled with weapons.

Because of the lack of space in penitentiaries, convicts are often sent to police holding cells like the ones in Carabobo, meant to be used as temporary pens for suspects facing charges or court hearings, where detainees are supposed to spend a maximum of 48 hours.

Venezuelan officials have not shared any versions of the events, but witnesses reported hearing gunfire from inside the police station before plumes of black smoke started rising from it. Relatives say numerous victims died from burns and smoke inhalation. Riots leaving dozens dead are not unusual. Many are believed to have died due to smoke inhalation.

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